Significant changes in Torbay's bus routes as Strand closes entirely

Bus passengers are advised of significant changes to services during the Strand road closure and urged to check timetables before they travel.

From Tuesday 15 October until Friday 29 November, no traffic will be able to pass through the Strand (Fleet Street car park exit junction to Clock Tower). This is to allow for final substantial works in four different areas to be completed for Torquay’s first major Town Deal funded improvement scheme.

Bus passengers are advised that during the road closure period there will be a significant reduction in services on Union Street and Abbey Road and no services on Fleet Street or Cary Parade in either direction.

The closure will affect services operated by Stagecoach and Torbay Buses.

All bus stops on Fleet Street and Cary Parade will be closed. All re-routed services will depart from the Pavilion / Princess Gardens on Torbay Road, opposite the Torbay Hotel. Signage will be in place to direct passengers as pedestrian access will remain through the Strand and Fleet Street during the road closure.

Torbay Council urges schools, parents, businesses, community representatives and residents to make themselves aware of the changes ahead of the road closure and to share information through their own networks.

There will be no direct services between Babbacombe Road and South Devon College, Paignton, Teignmouth or Dawlish. Passengers must change at St Marychurch or walk between Torwood Street and Pavilion / Princess Gardens. Signage will be in place to direct passengers between locations.

Service alternations are as follows; bus passengers are advised to check timetables with individual operators before they travel and allow extra time to make their journey.

12 Newton Abbot to Brixham (operated by Stagecoach)

• Serving Torquay Library and Pavilion / Princess Gardens stops only.
• Will not serve Union Street, Fleet Street or Cary Parade.

12 Brixham to Newton Abbot (operated by Stagecoach)

• Serving Pavilion / Princess Gardens and Tor Hill Road stops only.
• Will not serve Cary Parade, Fleet Street or Abbey Road.

22 South Devon College to St Marychurch / Dawlish (operated by Stagecoach)

• Serving Torquay Sea Front, Pavilion / Princess gardens, Belgrave Road, Lucius Street and Castle Circus, then operate via St Marychurch Road to St Marychurch. Will continue as normal between St Marychurch and Dawlish.
• Will not serve Union Street, Cary Parade, Torwood Street, or Babbacombe Road.
• Replacement 22S will operate between Torwood Street and St Marychurch along Babbacombe Road. Onward journeys on 22 can be made by changing services at St Marychurch or walking between Torwood Street and Pavilion / Princess Gardens.

22 Dawlish / St Marychurch to South Devon College (operated by Stagecoach)

• Will operate as normal between Dawlish and St Marychurch.
• Will operate from St Marychurch via St Marychurch Road to Castle Circus. A temporary bus stop will be provided at Castle Circus (outside Job Centre). Will then serve Lucius Street, Belgrave Road, Pavilion / Princess Gardens, Torquay Sea Front and continue as normal towards South Devon College.
• Will not serve Babbacombe Road, Torwood Street, Cary Parade, Fleet Street, or Abbey Road.

22S Torwood Street to St Marychurch: Temporary Service (operated by Stagecoach)

• Replacement shuttle service to cover route not served by 22.
• Will operate between Torwood Street and St Marychurch along Babbacombe Road.
• Onwards journeys on 22 or other services can be made by changing services at St Marychurch.

22S St Marychurch to Torwood Street: Temporary Service (operated by Stagecoach)

• Replacement shuttle service to cover route not served by 22.
• Will operate between St Marychurch and Torwood Street along Babbacombe Road. Will use Meadfoot Road, Parkhill Road, Beacon Hill and Victoria Parade in a one-way loop to end at the bottom of Torwood Street.
• Onward journeys on 22 or other services can be made by walking between Torwood Street and Pavilion / Princess Gardens.

31 Padacre Road to Cary Parade (operated by Stagecoach)

• Will serve Torquay Library and Pavilion / Princess Gardens stops only. 
• Will not Union Street, Fleet Street, or Cary Parade. 

31 Cary Parade to Padacre Road (operated by Stagecoach)

• Will serve Pavilion / Princess Gardens and Castle Circus stops only.
• Will not serve Cary Parade, Fleet Street, or Abbey Road.

32C St Marychurch to Torquay Grammar Schools (operated by Stagecoach)

• Journeys will start early from opposite side of Torwood Street and operate up Babbacombe Road to St Marychurch. Note all stops will be on opposite side of the road. Will continue via St Marychurch to Castle Circus then as normal between Castle Circus and Grammar Schools.

32C Torquay Grammar Schools to St Marychurch (operated by Stagecoach)

• Will operate as normal between Grammar Schools and Castle Circus. Will then continue via St Marychurch Road to St Marychurch (earlier than normal service), Babbacombe Road, and end at Torwood Street (later than normal service). Note all stops will be on opposite side of the road.

35A Torquay Harbourside. Torquay Harbourside loop, anticlockwise, via St Marychurch, Willows, Shiphay (operated by Stagecoach)

• Will serve Falkland Road, Pavilion / Princess Gardens, Lucius Street, Castle Circus, Union Street and Market Street.
• Will not serve Cary Parade, Fleet Street or Abbey Road.
• Services will operate from Falkland Road to Pavilion/ Princess gardens, then continue back to Lucius Street, Tor Hill Road, Union Street, Market Street and as normal for remaining route.

35C Torquay Harbourside: Torquay Harbourside loop, clockwise via Shiphay, Willows, St Marychurch (operated by Stagecoach)

• Will serve Market Street, Abbey Road, Lucius Street, Pavilion / Princess Gardens, and Falkland Road.
• Will not serve Fleet Street or Cary Parade.
• Services will operate Market Street as normal, then Abbey Road, Lucius Street to Pavilion, and continuing back to Falkland Road, operating as normal for remaining route.

61 Occombe Farm / Livermead to Torquay Town Centre (operated by Torbay Buses)

• Will not serve Fleet Street or Cary Parade.
• Services will divert from Pavilion / Princess gardens to Shedden Hill to rejoin route at St Lukes Road South / North.

61 Torquay Town Centre to Occombe Farm / Livermead (operated by Torbay Buses)

• Will not serve Fleet Street or Cary Parade.
• After Union Street, services will stop at Abbey Road, St Lukes Road South / North, and then divert along Abbey Road, Lucius Street and Belgrave Road to the Pavilion / Princess Gardens and continue existing route from there.

62 Parkhill Road and Harbour to Cockington and Chelston (operated by Torbay Buses)

• Service will start from Pavilion/Princess Gardens and operate via Belgrave Road and Falkland Road towards Chelston and Cockington as normal.
• Will not serve Meadfoot Road, Parkhill Road, Victoria Parade, Cary Parade.

62 Cockington and Chelston to Town Centre and Parkhill Road (operated by Torbay Buses)

• Will operate to Union Street and GPO Roundabout as normal. Will continue via Abbey Road, Lucius Street, Belgrave Road to Pavilion/Princess Gardens.
• Will not serve Fleet Street, Cary Parade, Meadfoot Road, Parkhill Road.

64 Warberries to Torquay Town Centre (operated by Torbay Buses)

• Will operate between Warberries and Victoria Parade as normal.
• Will not serve Cary Parade, Fleet Street, Abbey Road.
• Use service in opposite direction to travel on revised route to Castle Circus and Union Street.

64 Torquay Town Centre to Warberries (operated by Torbay Buses)

• Service will start from Torwood Street. Will serve Meadfoot Road and Parkhill Road and then continue route as normal from higher Woodfield Road, toward Lincombes and Warberries.
• Use service in this direction for Castle Circus and Union Street. Service will continue from Warberries via Hoxton Road, Hatfield Road, St Marychurch Road to Castle Circus and Union Street.
• Service from Castle Circus and Union Street will go via Market Street and Hoxton Road to Warberries, then continue to Lincombes and Meadfoot.

65 Torquay Town Centre to Willows (operated by Torbay Buses)

• Service not affected, will operate as normal.

65 Willows to Torquay Town Centre (operated by Torbay Buses)

• Service not affected, will operate as normal.

Cllr Chris Lewis, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Place Development and Economic Growth for Torbay Council, said; “We do understand that there is never a good time to close a road, especially when it will significantly impact how people get to work, school or to the town centre to shop.

“The temporary closure of part of the Strand is needed for us to get our public realm project finished in time for the Bay of Lights Illumination Trail which starts on Friday 29 November.

“We have worked with bus providers on alternative routes, services and stops and I’d urge anyone who uses the bus network to make themselves familiar with the changes, so they are fully prepared ahead of the road closure starting on Tuesday 15 October.

“We do apologise in advance for the disruption and inconvenience and will do all we can to provide clear signage to help bus passengers navigate these temporary service changes.”

Other transport and access arrangements

Diversion route

A fully signed diversion route will be in place to guide motorists around the closure. The diversion route will include parking suspensions in some areas to help larger vehicles navigate the route and to keep traffic flowing.

Access will remain to

• Fleet Walk car park from Cary Parade (access also available via Rock Road).
• Victoria Parade and Beacon Quay can continue to be accessed via Torwood Street, but traffic control will be in operation 24-hours a day.
• Marina car park and most on-street car parking along Torbay Road will be unaffected by the closure.

Taxi ranks

Taxi passengers can continue to find taxi ranks on Vaughan Road, lower Fleet Street, Torwood Street and Victoria Parade. Advice for taxi passengers is to head to the rank that is in the direction you would like to travel in to avoid additional fares. For example, if wanting to travel towards Babbacombe, to use the ranks on either Torwood Street or Victoria Parade. If travelling towards Paignton, to use the rank on Vaughan Road.

Advice for accessing the harbourside during the road closure

• All businesses and car parks are open as usual.
• Safe pedestrian access will be maintained at all times.
• Cyclists may be asked to dismount in some areas. Access remains to existing Victoria Parade / Inner Harbour Bridge route to Torbay Road / Princess Gardens.
• Walk, cycle or travel by bus into the area where possible.
• On your approach to the harbourside, follow the signs to the nearest car park, or use on-street parking.
• If travelling from the sea front / Paignton direction, use Shedden Hill or Fleet Walk car parks.
• If travelling from Babbacombe, use Harbour, beacon Quay or Meadfoot Road car parks.

The Strand public realm project is the first of three major Torquay harbourside regeneration projects that have been made possible after Torbay Council secured £21.9million of Town Deal Funding to deliver the Torquay Town Investment Plan.

All bus service information in this release is correct at the time of publication. Check individual service providers for the latest route information. https://www.torbay.gov.uk/roads/travel/bus/